Includes bibliographical references and index.

Marriage & family life: Are American families in decline; Is the two-parent family best; Are step-families inherently problematic; Should gays and lesbians fight for the right to marry -- Challenges to successful relationships: Is intimate attachment the key to successful relationships; Do men & women speak different languages; Are women's lives more stressful than men's; Do men avoid family work -- Parenthood: Have men lost their sense of fatherhood; Are mothers the main barrier to fathers' involvement in childbearing; Would a "mommy track" benefit employed women; Should surrogate parenting be permitted; Should pregnant teens marry the fathers of their babies -- Relational conflict and dissolution: Is there a date rape crisis in society; Is there a double standard for marital violence; Are children of divorce at greater risk; Do fathers have legitimate reasons for refusing to pay child support.

[The book] is a debate-style reader designed to introduce students to controversies in family development and personal relationships. The readings, which represent the arguments of leading sociologists, psychologists, and family therapists, reflect a variety of viewpoints and have been selected for their liveliness and substance and because of their value in a debate framework.-Back cover. This text contains 34 selections, arranged in pro and con pairs, that address 17 controversial issues related to family and personal relationships ... This book is primarily designed for courses in marriage and the family, and the issues are such that they can be easily incorporated into any marriage and family course regardless of organization or emphasis.-Pref.